This invention relates to low insertion force interface connectors and more particularly to apparatus for moving an array of electrical contacts into engagement with a second array of electrical contacts.
Circuit board verifiers are generally known employing fixture systems which include an actuator assembly for relatively moving a plurality of electrical test probes and a printed circuit board into electrical contact. Many of these devices employ an interchangeable test head carrying the electrical test probes. Due to the interchangeability of the test head it is necessary to provide an interface connector system for making electrical connection with the rest of the circuit board verifier as the interchangeable test head is inserted into the fixture system.
To this end, interchangeable test heads have also been provided with interface pins, one interface pin for each of the possible positions of the test probes on the interchangeable test head and an electrical connection is made between the probes and the corresponding interface pins. Additionally a set of interface contacts are provided in the fixture system and are electrically connected to the circuit board verifier. The interface pins and the interface contacts are arranged in mirror image arrays with one of the contacts in the array of interface contacts corresponding to one of the interface pins in the array of interface pins. When the interchangeable test head is inserted into the fixture system, an electrical connection is made between each interface pin and the corresponding interface contact.
Various arrangements have been devised for bringing the interface pins and the interface contacts into engagement and thereby make electrical connection therebetween.
One class of such devices involves an arrangement wherein the interface pins on an interchangeable test head are brought into opposed but transversely spaced apart positions relative to the corresponding interface contacts as the interchangeable test head is inserted into the fixture system. Subsequently the interface contacts are actuated in a transverse direction into engagement with the interface pins. A disadvantage of such an arrangement is that as the interchangeable test head is being positioned into the fixture system, there is a possibility that the interface pins may improperly strike the interface contacts thereby causing damage to either or both of the interface pins and the interface contacts.
Another class of such devices involves interface contacts which are in the form of telescoping spring probes. Each telescoping spring probe (interface contact) is brought into engagement with the end of a corresponding interface pin. A disadvantage of such an arrangement is that a considerable amount of force is required to overcome the spring force of all of the spring probes (interface contacts).
Other interface connectors of various types are known for bringing two arrays of electrical contacts into engagement. However, these suffer from various disadvantages including those described above.